Aibakyt is a Junior Research at the Firelight Group supporting the Indigenous Planning and Traditional Knowledge and Use Studies teams. She grew up in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and is now a settler on the unceded and unsurrendered land of the Halkomelem-speaking peoples.

Aiba graduated from York University, Summa Cum Laude, with a degree in Global Politics. As a researcher, Aiba is passionate about working with communities both locally and internationally. During her studies, she worked at Harriet Tubman Institute exploring gender-based violence in post-conflict situations and supported community development programs in Uganda. After completing her degree, she worked in the international development sector where she coordinated capacity-building programs for financial institutions in the Global South.

Aiba is grateful and excited to immerse herself in research and build relationships with Indigenous communities in Canada and beyond.